Question: Why do you do what you do? Has it changed over time? I’m guessing it has. To find your “why” is a challenging exercise. It takes time, reflection and it’s hard work. But it’s worth doing. Why is that? Well, for one thing, if you are living a life that doesn’t align with your values, dreams and purpose in life, then you will never feel satisfied no matter how much money you have or what you achieve. I’m here today with quick exercises that are designed to help you find your “WHY.”
The first exercise is to take a moment every day and just breathe. It’s not as complicated as it sounds; all you need to do is take 10 deep breaths and focus on the feeling of your breath moving through your body. This will help you slow down and make you more aware of the present moment. It can also help you understand what’s important in life and what isn’t.
Say your “why” out loud.
No, seriously. Say it. I’ll wait.
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Okay, good. Now that you’ve said it out loud, try to answer this question: What in your life is important?
If you’re like most people, you probably don’t have an answer to that question. And that’s because we never spend time thinking about what in our lives is important to us. We just get busy doing the things we need to do to run our businesses and lives. We make sure all the bills are paid and all the other tasks are completed, and then we move on to the next thing on our list. The problem is that by not spending time thinking about why things are important to us, we’re leaving ourselves vulnerable — vulnerable to doubt and uncertainty, which can lead to inaction and failure down the road if left unchecked.
Say your why out loud right now, even if it seems silly or corny at first. Write it down somewhere where you’ll see it every day (like the back of your hand). When things get tough, remind yourself why you’re doing this — and then keep going!
Write it down. Every day, write down your “why” at least once. You can hand-write your answers in a journal or notebook or type them into an app like Google Keep (for example). You can even keep a list of why you want to exercise in a spreadsheet or text file on your phone. Once you’ve written it out, I recommend that you add the date and timestamp to each entry so that they’re easy to remember later on if you ever need some motivation.
Make it a daily practice. If we want our “whys” to be effective lifelong motivators, then we need to commit ourselves fully by incorporating them into our daily routine as often as possible—and ideally every day! Just like brushing your teeth and washing up before bedtime is something your parents taught you early on which has stayed with you all these years later, having an exercise regimen will become second nature over time once it becomes part of who you are as an individual; thus making sure that there’s always space for self-care in whatever else life throws at us (whether its stress from work or family issues) will help us stay mentally grounded throughout life’s ups and downs.”
It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life. But when you give more energy to the things that matter most to you, it can change your life.
Here are two quick ways to give more energy to the things that matter most to you:
Focus on one thing at a time. Multitasking has become a way of life for many people, but research shows that multitasking reduces productivity and can even cause memory loss. The next time you find yourself trying to do too many things at once, stop, take a deep breath and focus on one thing at a time instead.
Say “no” more often. Saying “yes” is a good thing but saying “no” is an important part of giving more energy to what matters most to you. Don’t feel obligated to say yes every time someone asks for your help or input on a project or idea — if it doesn’t fit into your schedule or vision for your life, then politely decline by saying something along these lines: “I would love to help but I just don’t have the time right now. Let me know if there is anything else I can do for you!”
In addition to paying attention to your body, you also want to pay attention to the voice inside your head. This is the voice that tells you what’s important and how you feel about a situation. It’s important not only because this is where our emotions come from, but also because it provides us with valuable information about how our bodies are feeling.
If there’s something that doesn’t feel right about an activity, then chances are it isn’t going to be good for your health or well-being. Listen closely if something just doesn’t feel right during an activity; chances are there’s a reason for this feeling that has nothing to do with being lazy or unmotivated!
Commit to ongoing self-growth and learning. Learning is a lifelong process, and you should always be striving to improve in some way. This can be accomplished by reading books, interacting with other people, or participating in experiences that challenge you. The important thing is to keep your mind open to new ideas and ways of thinking; if something doesn’t work out the first time around, don’t be afraid to try again. Learning from our mistakes is one of the best ways we can move forward as individuals—and it’s also an important part of finding your “why.”
You need to be in a state of balance in order to be successful, whether you’re an athlete or not. When you are balanced, this allows your mind, body and spirit to work together.
When it comes to exercising for the purpose of finding your WHY (or any other reason), taking time off from your routine is important. You should take some time out every week just for yourself—to relax, rejuvenate, and recover from the stresses of everyday life. If you don’t do this, then it’s likely that you’ll burn out before long.
One effective method for finding your “why” is to look at the people who have already found theirs. You can do this by getting inspired by those who’ve achieved goals similar to yours, or even just by seeing how they live their lives on a daily basis.
Compare what you admire about them with your own life. What makes them inspiring? How can you emulate their actions and behaviors in order to find your own “why”?
When you find your WHY, you can find purpose and motivation in each day.
Don’t worry about what other people’s goals are. Be ambitious, but stay realistic. If you are looking for something that is going to change your life, it is going to take some work! It will take time and effort on your part, but that doesn’t mean it has to be hard or painful.
It will be worth the effort and commitment once those goals become realities! Maybe they aren’t even fitness-related; maybe they are financial or career-related? Whatever they may be, define them and make them happen because when they do come true (and they will), then all of a sudden there is this sense of joy inside because now everything makes sense—and this feeling lasts forever!
Do this exercise every day. It takes less than five minutes and will help you find your purpose.
